Water Wisely

Most common garden plants prefer an average of 1 inch of water a week. It's best to water deeply and apply that inch all at once, which encourages roots to sink down more deeply in the soil. Apply water directly to the ground at the base of the plant rather than getting the foliage wet; water sitting on the leaves can lead to disease. Soaker hoses are great for watering at ground level! Also pay special attention to plants located under a tree canopy or roof overhang, they might miss out on rainfall. Try a drip system for watering near their roots.

Mulch for Insulation

A thick layer of mulch will help insulate roots from extreme heat and also prevent soil moisture from evaporating. Spread a 2-inch-deep layer of mulch over your soil. Happily, there's not a single best type of mulch. Anything made from organic matter—shredded wood, pine straw, a mix of grass clippings and shredded leaves, etc.—is going to help your soil in the long run as it decomposes and adds to your soil structure.

Raise Your Mower Blade

Raise the height of your lawn-mower blade if you have cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, or fescues. More leaf surface shades the roots and keeps the plants healthier during hot, dry weather.

Create Shade

Shade sails preside over this deck, which is on the west side of the house and bears the brunt of the summer sun. Shade sails—large, triangular sheets of weather-resistant fabric—shield the deck from the blazing sun. For this deck, the sails stretch from four posts along the ground-level fence line to near the top of the home’s roofline. Bright and contrasting colors in the cushions and plant containers prevent the darkly stained deck from becoming visually ponderous under the shade.

Grow Native Plants

Native plants, when placed where they get the correct amount of sun, are naturally evolved to handle the weather stresses of your region. Plants indigenous to other regions may fall prey to leaf scorch, a problem caused by hot temperatures. It’s usually more severe on younger branches.

A Decline in Fruit Production

Extremely hot spells can cause a decline in fruit production in plants like tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, pumpkins, squash and cucumber. Although these are generally warm-season crops, it can get too warm for them. When daytime highs regularly top 95 degrees Fahrenheit, the plant’s pollen can die. With no live pollen to pollinate the flower, fruits fail to develop. Certain plant varieties are bred to tolerate the heat better than others, so keep that in mind if facing a hotter-than-usual summer. Otherwise, wait it out. Normal fruit development should return once the temperatures cool down.

Banish Weeds

Many pesky weeds love summer heat and quickly take the jump from tiny to gigantic. It's important to remove them from your garden, because the weeds will steal moisture and nutrients from your plants. Many weeds also encourage insect pests and diseases to pop up in your garden.